Height loss is commonly associated with fractures, such as, for example, spinal fractures, typically referred to as vertebral compression fractures. A large segment of osteoporotic patients experience vertebral compression fractures, with an estimated 700,000 such fractures occurring annually. Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that is used to treat vertebral compression fractures using a combination of vertebroplasty in which a bone void filler, such as, for example, bone cement is utilized in conjunction with balloon catheter technology. The kyphoplasty procedure restores height of the collapsed spinal bone, which diminishes associated back pain.
Kyphoplasty procedures may also be used to treat fractures in other areas of a patient's body, such as, for example, a distal radius of the patient, such as, for example Colles' fractures. To treat a distal radius fracture using a kyphoplasty procedure, an inflatable bone tamp (IBT) is utilized. The IBT is used to percutaneously reduce comminuted, articular depressions in a controlled manner. Fracture morphologies, such as, for example, “die-punch” fractures are especially suited for correction by an IBT. An IBT is deployed to a surgical site, such as, for example, a bone defect through a working cannula. The IBT creates at least one well-defined void. After the void is created by the IBT, the IBT is removed from the cannula and a material, such as, for example a bone void filler is delivered through the cannula and into the void. This disclosure describes an improvement over these prior art technologies.